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Thursday, 21 September 2017

Russia Warns US: Any SDF Attack on Syrian Army to Be Repelled

Russia warned the United States of reprisals Thursday after artillery fire from an area controlled by US-backed militants in eastern Syria targeted government troops.

A military spokesman in Moscow blamed Syrian Democratic Forces and said future attacks would be repelled.

“Syrian regime forces were twice targeted with massive fire from mortar launchers and rocket artillery from areas east of the Euphrates river where SDF forces and US special forces are,” Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

“A representative of US command in Al Udeid, Qatar, was notified in severe form that attempts to attack from districts where SDF fighters are located will be repelled,” he said.

“Fire positions in these areas will be immediately suppressed with all available weapons,” he said.

Konashenkov said government forces control 85 percent of Deir Ezzor.

“The city will be liberated in the coming week,” he said.

On Monday, Syrian government troops crossed the Euphrates river, sealing off the city on three sides.

Meanwhile, SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militants backed by the US, is pushing the ISIL group from the northeastern part of the province, as the US-led coalition provides air cover.

On September 21, clashes continued between government forces and ISIS in Khusham town on the eastern bank of the Euphrates where the SAA and the SRG were attempting to break the ISIS defense and to expand its control zone in order to further encircle ISIS in Deir Ezzor city and to set a foothold for an advance towards al-Busayrah.

Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the Russian side warned the US command in Al Udeid, Qatar, that “any attempts of shelling from the areas where the militants of the Syrian Democratic Forces are based will be immediately curbed.”

“Firing points in these areas will be immediately suppressed by all means of destruction,” Konashenkov said.

Konashenkov added that “the Syrian governmental troops have been shelled twice from the areas on the western bank of the Euphrates controlled by the Syrian Democratoc Forces and the US military.” This likely was a reason why Russia announced its decision to bomb any side what would attack government troops and Russian special task forces.

The Russian military spokesman added that the SDF is redeploying forces from Raqqah to Deir Ezzor frontlines.

ISIS uses an armed DIY drone in order to stop government forces crossing the Euphrates River: